May 16 / 29. St. Theodore the Sanctified, disciple of St. Pachomius the Great. St. Ephraim, abbot of Perekos (Novgorod). Blessed child Musa of Rome. St. George, Bishop of Mitylene. Martyr Abdiesus, Bishop, and companions, in Persia. Martyr Peter of Blachernae. St. Nicholas the Mystic, Patriarch of Constantinople. Martyrs Vitus, Modestus, and Crescentia at Lucania. New-Martyr Nicholas of Metsov, whose relics are at Meteora. Saints Cassian and Laurence, abbots of Komel (Vologda). (Greek Calendar: St. Alexander, Archbishop of Jerusalem. St. Euphemia near Neaorion.)

Photo of the Day:

The beautiful Rhododendron, now over fifty years old, given to us by our dear friends and supporters, Seraphim and Eudokia Boots.

Thought for the Day:

When swallows run short of food and the cold weather is coming, they set off to warm climes, where there is plenty of sun and food. One swallow flies ahead, testing the air and showing the way, and the rest of the flock follow after.

When our souls run short of food in the material world, and when the cold of death draws near - oh, is there a swallow like that one, to take us to a warm place? Is there, oh, is there such a swallow?

Outside the Christian Church, there is no-one who could give any sort of reliable answer to this. The Church alone knows, and knows with certainty. It has seen that part of Paradise for which our souls yearn in the frozen twilight of this earthly existance. It has also seen this blessed swallow, the first to fly to that yearned-for place, dispersing the darkness and cutting through the heavy atmosphere between earth and heaven with its powerful wings, opening the way to the flock behind it. Apart from this, the Church on earth can tell you of innumerable flocks of swallows that have followed the first Swallow and flown off with it to the blessed land, the land abounding with all good things - the land of eternal spring.

You will see from this that, by this saving Swallow, I am thinking of the ascended Lord Jesus Christ.

Bishop Nikolai Velimirovic

"Homily on the Ascension of the Lord"

Scripture Readings for the Day:

Acts 19:1-8

Paul at Ephesus

1 And it happened, while Apollos was at Corinth, that Paul, having passed through the upper regions, came to Ephesus. And finding some disciples 2 he said to them, "Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?"So they said to him, "We have not so much as heard whether there is a Holy Spirit." 3 And he said to them, "Into what then were you baptized?" So they said, "Into John's baptism." 4 Then Paul said, "John indeed baptized with a baptism of repentance, saying to the people that they should believe on Him who would come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus." 5 When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 6 And when Paul had laid hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke with tongues and prophesied. 7 Now the men were about twelve in all. 8 And he went into the synagogue and spoke boldly for three months, reasoning and persuading concerning the things of the kingdom of God.

John 14:1-11

The Way, the Truth, and the Life

1 "Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. 2 In My Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. 4 And where I go you know, and the way you know."5 Thomas said to Him, "Lord, we do not know where You are going, and how can we know the way?" 6 Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.

The Father Revealed

7 "If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; and from now on you know Him and have seen Him." 8 Philip said to Him, "Lord, show us the Father, and it is sufficient for us." 9 Jesus said to him, "Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; so how can you say, 'Show us the Father'? 10 Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on My own authority; but the Father who dwells in Me does the works. 11 Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father in Me, or else believe Me for the sake of the works themselves.